


Dwarven Spirits

by tauntingcrow



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dragons, Dragons can drink dwarves under the table, Drinking, Drunkenness, Fantasy, Lions, M/M, dwarven spirits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 22:34:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11861010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tauntingcrow/pseuds/tauntingcrow
Summary: Collection of short-stories from the universe of Ladadriel.First;Than gives Cainan an offer to join him in an evening with good booze and comfortable conversation. Cainan doesn't say no to free booze.





	Dwarven Spirits

**Author's Note:**

> This is only a short part from an ongoing story of mine. I'm in the middle of finishing the first chapters and will, if anyone's interested, start posting it here. 
> 
> I'm leaving out major descriptions of their surroundings on purpose, making it harder to understand exactly what kind of world they live in as of yet. I want to save some for the actual story later.
> 
> Thanks for reading. :)

"You usually don't drink?" Cainan eyed the dragon taking a deep chug out of a foul-smelling bottle. Than put what was hopefully spirits down with a thud. 

"I drink... Just don't get drunk is all." He pushed the bottle over to Cainan. The nemean regarded it for a while, before deciding to take a swig. He liked a good drink, but this smelled far too strong to be safe. Putting the bottle to his lips he could feel the smell of the liquid sting his nose. He held his breath and poured. It burned while traveling down his throat. Settling like a warm ember in his stomach.

"Fucking hell Than. I thought you had taste. This is like drinking pure anticeptic." Cainan coughed after taking another swig. He focused on the feel of the warmth and not its deadly taste. Than chuckled.

"It's used for that some places." The dragon told with slight irony in his voice. Was that slurring Cainan could hear in his voice? "Dragons have a hard time getting affected, our tolerance for alchohol unusually high. But I've found Dwarven spirits usually does the trick." Than took the bottle and downed a mouth-full, grimazing. Cainan realized he didn't drink it for the pleasure, the dragon was seriously trying to get wasted. Not wanting to judge or ruin the moment, he took the bottle. Raised it, and drank. 

They switched back and forth in silence for a while. Cainan felt the buzz creeping. Looking over to his friend he saw the man was becoming less coordinated by the minute. He knew his friend enjoyed fine spirits now and again, remembering seeing him with Nald and Kumar sharing a bottle of something fruity. But never took him for the type to drink away his problems. Than just didn't seem like the brooding type. Something was up. Cainan tried to contemplate wether to approach the subject or not, but the dwarven stuff was muddling his thoughts.

Was it really his place to say anything? Wouldn't he be doing the exact same in a similar situation? But this wasn't him though. But it felt weird. Seeing his always-so-collected friend, in a slump, prone to make bad decisions. Than was looking at him with drowsy eyes, Cainan realized he'd been staring.

"Got something on my face?" He slurred, smiling sheepishly. Thans hair was a mess of waves, some hanging over his eyes. He looked tired, defeated... sad. 

"Wondering what brought this." Cainan gestured to the bottle, settling his eyes on Thans. The dragon didn't flinch, they're past that point then. 

"A trader from a few days back. Had a lot of herbs and spirits to peddle. I- " 

"You know what I mean Than." Cainan interrupted, staring him down. Hoping he wouldn't have to argue forth an answer. Than tried challenging him back, but Cainan knew the game too well. Only a short while after and Than gave in. Seeing the man sink down in defeat gave him a pleasant thrill. It wasn't every day you could boast winning a staredown with a dragon. Not to mention the headstrong, stoic and rather intimidating Than. He put the thought away for the moment, focusing on the matter at hand. 

"You know I don't want to pry." He began.

"You're doing it though." Than answered sluggishly. Annoyance apparent in the tone. 

"You. Don't. Drink." He repeated his earlier words flatly.

"Yes I do."

"Not like this. Not by pouring yourself silly with spirits that I'm pretty sure can kill a man." Cainan continued to stare. Bottle in hand he took another swig.

"Cainan... I'm not- " Than focused on the counter. The wood sanded and worn from countless items and arms brushing over it. The life in the inn was getting louder, patrons coming in from a long day of work. He and Than sat in a quiet corner, divided from the rest of the area, giving them some imagined form of privacy. "It's... Karkesh." His voice broke at the mention of the name. Cainan didn't reply, hoping he would elaborate on his own.

"Who... " Than gripped the bottle more fiercely. His fingers looking to dig through the thick glass. "Cainan... I'm... It's the last place I remember having anything to do with. It's gone. Everything there, the people, the animals. Everything was gone... Cainan." Cainan remembered. The village was void of life, abandoned. No one knew what had happened, the neighboring villages and households had found the village in it's state. "It makes my skin crawl... we don't know for certain yet, but it could have happened about the same time you found me."

"What are you trying to say Than? That you're somehow mixed up with the disappearances? Last I checked we're at least a months travel from Karkesh." Unless Than knew how to teleport, witch they had found he couldn't. It wouldn't be possible.

"I know. But... There's something..." He looked scared. A man ravaged by something unknown, making him lose himself. "I have a feeling I need to be somewhere Cainan, and I can't for the life of me conjure up anything but blurry nightmares. Nothing of use." Cainan placed his hand on a tensed shoulder, it didn't flinch, but slumped under the contact. Than took a long breath through his nose, going back to his collected self. "So... I drink, I've been sleepless for weeks. I want to have a day off. One day free from nightmares and bad omens. If you want to deny me this, friend, then I bid you go enjoy your night elsewhere." His stare was hard, challenge apparent.

Looking over to his 'friend', finally understanding his situation for once, made him feel relieved. Terror was something that came close with war, war he knew, how it could change and warp people thoughts. He took the bottle, shaking it slightly, and gulped down a large portion. It didn't taste half as bad now that his tongue was numbed by his steadily growing buzz. Than smirked approvingly. "To friends?" He raised another bottle from somewhere Cainan hadn't noticed.

"To dwarven poison and friends. May it banish common sense and simpler thoughts.", they laughed. "Let's drink to dawn!" Cainan shouted the last part, dragging a cheer from around the inn. He slung his arm around Than and pulled both of them up to standing position. Dragging the now wobbly man closer to the bar and the patrons of the inn. If they were to have fun, he would have to teach the dragon a few fundamental parts of drinking culture.


End file.
